PALMERTON GRADUATES ARE TOLD THEY ARE BEGINNING A NEW LIFE

Graduating seniors at Palmerton High School were told last night that the school's 79th annual commencement exercises were the beginning of a new life and not an end to an old one.

Student speakers Karen Silfies, Lori Kuklentz and B.J. Nalesnik all relived high school memories, but said striving forward in the future is as important as past success stories.

Silfies, the highest ranking business student, basically spoke on taking the first step after high school. "The first step is to attend college for yourself and not anybody else," she said, telling the students that they should set their own goals.

The graduates were also told by Silfies that they should allows continue the fight. "As long as you have true confidence you can be the best there is if you just hang in there and never give up the challenge," she said.

While Silfies said graduation was one of the best times in her life, she noted that it also one of the most frightening.

"This is one of the best times in our lives. It's somewhat scary, and to me, it sort of reminds me of when I was, forgive me for the use of this horrible word, a freshman," she said.

"If all of you in the audience tonight would just think back to your freshman year. Maybe some of you can even remember your very first day of high school.

"No, it wasn't one of your better days. Your stomach was kind of all cramped up, and well, you were afraid to take that first step. You kind of walked the halls looking down at the floor, and God forbid you should ever bump into a senior. But now, here in front of you, is the 1987 senior class - graduating," she said.

Nalesnik, the highest ranked academic student, spoke on both the happy and sad high school memories. He said the graduates need to strive forward in the future, and said they really need to be happy. "We really shouldn't cry," he said.

"As I looked back on the year, I thought this is the end, but in this world everything that marks an end, also marks a beginning," he said.

Although Nalesnik said people will forget his speech in years to come, he did say that people who do recall it will remember is as being short and to the point.

Nalesnik told his classmates to forget the bad times, such as arguments with teachers, and remember only the good times.

Lori Kuklentz, who attended classes at Palmerton and at the Carbon County Vocational-Technical School in Jim Thorpe, said members of her class will decide a lot more then just their futures.

"We are no longer the future adults of the world, but the actual adults of the future, and we will be the people who will make the difference," she said.

Kuklentz also commented that her classmates will have to make future decisions on their own. "We will be entering a world of many challenges and decisions - decisions which only we can make."

The 140-member class was presented for graduation by George H. Duell Jr., high school principal, and was accepted by Ronald Mihalko, the school district superintendent. Diplomas were presented by Conrad Biege, the school board president.

The class president, Cynthia Lucykanish, gave the welcome address. Other class officers were Amy Whiteman, secretary, and Jamie Williams, treasurer.